High School Preparation

While in high school, you should take as much biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics as feasible. In particular, take two years of chemistry if possible to better prepare for coursework in biochemistry. Take special advantage of courses that develop your problem-solving abilities and courses that give you laboratory experience. In addition, advanced placement courses and dual credit courses are terrific ways to reduce your course load while at Purdue. Even as a future scientist, however, the most important aspect of your high school education should be a solid foundation in English. Read books and write at every available opportunity.

At its heart, biochemistry is an experimental science. The biochemist learns to ask questions (design hypotheses) that can be answered by designing controlled experiments and then undertaking those experiments. If you enjoy working in a laboratory, you should consider biochemistry. Biochemists occupy a unique niche in the life sciences. The experimental language of a biochemist is chemistry but the experimental system is a living organism. The biochemist wants to understand the molecular basis of the processes that underlie living organisms. As a result, an interest in studying the chemistry of living organisms is an essential attribute of a biochemist.

Use the links below to learn how your Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit coursework may be applied at Purdue: